Thesis Statement

ELABORATION

What does the Pavilion hold exactly? Is it a building? Or a sculpture? Is it a vessel for innovation? The form of the Pavilion is sensitive, it is strongly influenced by the shifts in a society’s time. The thesis includes analysis of architecture that adhere to these three phases in time; Carlo Scarpa’s intervention of the Castelvecchio which beliefs rely on past faith and religion, Bernard Tschumi’s Athenian’s Acropolis designed as means of preservation for the present, and the ways of life that require us to question future institutions. These are examples of societies according to each institution. The oscillations occur and develop nonlinearly, however there are exceptions, such as the First People’s Nation, whose beliefs can span across past, present and future. As the concept of Time is constantly reworked and oscillates in its development, this thesis will explore the materiality and changes that are a result of the complex interactions and changes in beliefs of societies of the past, present and future. These created beliefs, along with oscillations in social times, form relationships between the architects/ designers, builders and occupants and will be explored on the 8-Hour Reserve, adjacent to the Victorian Trades Hall. The Castelvecchio is a display of power, wealth and status. These were highly valued factors in the Medieval Ages’ society. Scarpa’s design intervention in Castelvecchio converts the castle into a museum that treats its material form and its installations as one whole exhibit which depicts the life of the wealthy in history. The construction methods available to Scarpa in the 1950s allowed him to underlay material existing at the time to support the pre-existing structure of the past Castelvecchio. Steel components were typically hidden, to emphasize on the structural remains of the past. Although modern material such as brass and treated pine were integrated in the facade and interior items i.e. handrails, these were left exposed to elements and time to allow the material to fade from new to old. The intervention allows decay of material forms of the present, to visually and metaphorically succumb to the ‘beliefs’ of the past, indicating that values of the past strongly influence development of social changes in a particular society. Museo de Castelvecchio makes use of material decomposition rates and demolition. This amplifies the historical form, showing that the past belief system is extremely influential to the point that it engulfs the present system of beliefs. The Relapse Pavilion was a relic of the past, which will exhibit collections of works from Australia pre- and post- settler history.

The New Acropolis Museum in Athens by Tschumi encases old material forms and excavations with existing technologies. It presents both regression through being able to look down into the foundations below and also preservation by sealing and protecting important subjects with glass. This presents changes in social thinking of the past compared to present society. It continues to value aspects of the past through preservation of excavations and sculptural collections that were considered masterpieces in history. This provides a platform for the current society to have a background of past knowledge and improve on what currently exists. Modern societies’ priorities have shifted-- exhibitions for public viewing show that it is more accepting to share any form of knowledge and growth with the community regardless of status and power. The Pavilion of Stagnation will provide spaces for live events that focus on present circumstances such as live talks, presentations and for public gatherings.

progression relapse

stagnation For the third oscillation; there are societies that span across all these distinct categories in time, such as the First People’s Nations, whose social construct have remained respective of their past, present and they continue to reintegrate this construct into their futures. The Relapse(past) Pavilion will not only hold collections of historical artifacts but also provide an environment that symbolises the past celebratory spaces of the First People’s Nations. The Stagnation(present) Pavilion then preserves and encapsulates fragments of Relapse and continues to respect the past whilst intertwining current societal values with the past’s. The Progression Pavilion will enable public platforms for unbridled creativity, catering for different needs of future beliefs, each iteration formed by its creator(s). The traditional labour of Australia vastly contrasts from what is seen in today’s society. Where beliefs were strict and practices were inflexible (represented by Relapse), postindustrial times allow for a more lax system of work and its relative conditions (explored in Stagnation). The future can be presumed to evolve further from what has been experienced in the previous institutions of time, and engages with the community on an even wider scale for further social growth and innovation.

The future is difficult to predict. It is overwhelming. Although it is informed by understanding the past and present, Progression does not engage with either of the two, instead it engulfs them. What each society values is vulnerable to critical changes that can happen at any time. In the future, architecture should learn to be versatile- it should address and deal with this critical state of the environment and cater to societies’ needs as efficiently as possible. Sou Fujimoto’s Serpentine Pavilion is an insertion of the public realm, allowing for fast construction and disassembly, whilst being versatile in catering to a large range of programs for public users, whether it be as consumers or suppliers. This particular Pavilion will be the most ‘freeform’ of the Pavilion oscillations as it intends to show that societies can tread on any given route possible.

The thesis will investigate the shifts in beliefs and values in a society’s time, primarily considering material form transformations. It also includes, but is not limited to, providing for a broad range of programs across all three institutions of time, installations that celebrate the beliefs associated with a specific institution.